"They" always say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. **Insert lightbulb over my head!** I'm doing the same thing with my finances over and over and expecting that I can get out of debt this way! Ain't gonna work!
In the past week and a bit I have had to put $900.00 on my credit card that would have come out of an emergency fund if I had one. So that $1200.00 I paid on my student loan in March really only brings me $300.00 closer to debt free. Plus the credit card has a MUCH higher interest rate than the student loan. SO..... I am done snowballing the debt until I have an emergency fund! Otherwise I am going to stay in the same boat I am already in. And I don't like it here. I want to jump on over to that DEBT FREE boat. But in order to do that I need my life jacket (AKA emergency fund). So no more risky business, OP Build Emergency Fund is underway. Well ok as soon as I get paid again. Seeing as I just got paid yesterday and paid that extra $200 on my student loan I now have to wait until mid-April for my next pay. But at least I have a plan and I think that could be seen as setting a goal. Which brings me to my next revelation.
Goal Setting - All the other PF blogs I read set and review their goals. I am not nor have I really ever been much of a goal setter. I'm not sure why but it could be link to fear of failure or something of the like. But for whatever reason, goal setting and I haven't really gotten along. Yes I suppose I do have goals and have achieved things I wanted to do in life so I'm not a "goal setting-a-phob". I am currently training for a half marathon. However, I think that in order to achieve my debt free goal I need to set little goals along the way to keep me on track and help me measure my success. Ugh!
But how do I start? What do I set as my goals? Ok here's where you come in.... Help! :) Please.
Oh and if anyone can help me figure out how to do the status bars on the side so I can track the %, that would be awesome! And I'd love to start a blog roll and add you to it as well, can you help with that too? Thanks!!!
Don't know that I'm much help since I'm in the same boat you are. I was thinking of breaking down the emergency fund goal into increments - maybe a goal of a set amount each month and work toward that.
ReplyDeleteI can help with the blog roll - just go to your "design" and click on "add a gadget" and then scroll down to "blog list." It's easy!
Sarah
I'm thinking of breaking down my emergency fund goal into monthly steps to make it seem more doable. I have to see progress to keep the motivation.
ReplyDeleteSetting up a blog roll is easy - just click on design and then add a gadget - from there you can click on blog list and set it up like you want.
Sarah
OK, mine aren't perfect, but I snagged this and bookmarked it for the progress bars. It's fairly easy to use.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dollartimes.com/on-your-site/progress-bar.htm
Or try Googling "free goal progress bars for blogs". You're sure to find something!
You're doing great, Little Lamb! I'm learning, too, even from li'l sis, Sarah!
ReplyDeleteThis is SO much more fun - and likely productive - with a group. And this seems to be such a good, supportive one.
Welcome to us all!
Jenny
Thanks Jenny! You are right, it is much better to take this journey with others! I think even though separated by many miles there is always more strength in numbers.
ReplyDeleteWe all have something to learn and as long as we are open to it, it can come fro anyone... even the most unlikely sources.